|
Cariboo Road, running some 650 km along the FRASER RIVER CANYON between Yale and Barkerville, BC, was begun in 1862 to provide a wagon route to the goldfields of the Cariboo region of south-central BC. By 1860 gold returns from the area convinced Governor James DOUGLAS that a system of communication was necessary. A road to the interior would relieve the plight of the miners forced to pay exorbitant rates for supplies and would make the Fraser River the great commercial highway of BC.
A contingent of Royal Engineers was brought from Britain to survey the route from Yale, at the head of navigation on the Fraser River, along extremely treacherous terrain to the administrative centre of the Cariboo. The work was begun by the army engineers, who completed the 2 most difficult stretches - 10 km from Yale to Boston Bar and 15 km from Cook's Ferry along the Thompson River. Much of the road had to be blasted from solid rock. The rest of the construction was let out to private contractors, and the road was opened in 1864. The TRANS-CANADA HIGHWAY follows much of the route of this early road along the Fraser Canyon.
 Cariboo RoadThe Cariboo Road in BC was one of the most remarkable engineering achievements in early transportation in Canada (courtesy Library and Archives Canada/C-8077).
Author
C.J. TAYLOR
Links to Other Sites
Barkerville
This website is dedicated to the gold rush town of Barkerville, BC. Features information about the local attractions and stage shows that reenact the colourful history of the region.
Colourful Characters in Historic Yale
Learn about the colourful characters who created the historic town of Yale, BC. This beautifully illustrated online exhibit is from the Virtual Museum of Canada.
Encyclopedia of British Columbia
Essential data and a concise history of British Columbia from the website for the "Encyclopedia of British Columbia." Most of the website content, including articles, photos, and graphics, is available through paid subscription.
Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History
Solve some the "Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History." Learn about investigative techniques and Canadian history. From the University of Victoria.
One of Canada's earliest roads: the Cariboo
A CBC Radio audio clip about the history of the harrowing Cariboo Wagon Road in BC.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| On Monday August 29, 1864 half the cabinet of the Canadian government boarded the
steamer Queen Victoria at Quebec. They had heard that representatives of Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick and PEI were meeting in Charlottetown to discuss Maritime union and they hoped to
crash the party... |
|
| Pierre Elliott Trudeau, politician, writer, constitutional lawyer, prime minister of Canada 1968-79 and 1980-84 (b at ... |
|
|
| Few countries were affected as severely as Canada by the worldwide Depression of the 1930s. It is estimated that ... |
|
|
| Louis Riel, Métis leader, founder of Manitoba, central figure in the NORTH-WEST REBELLION (b at Red River ... |
|
|
| Evangelical Christian Church, often called the Christian Church (Christian Disciples), is a denomination stemming from ... |
|
|
| Few countries were affected as severely as Canada by the worldwide Depression of the 1930s. It is estimated that ... |
|
|
| The Toronto Maple Leafs are a HOCKEY team, was formed in 1927 when Conn SMYTHE purchased and renamed the Toronto St ... |
|
|
| Sears Canada Inc, headquartered in Toronto, is a Canadian retailer incorporated in 1952. In 1953 operating under the ... |
|
|
| John Ware, "Nigger John," horseman, rancher (b near Georgetown, SC 1845; d near Brooks, Alta 11 Sept 1905). ... |
|
|
| Land claims are dealt with by a process established by the federal government to enable INDIANS, INUIT and ... |
|
Browse the rich visual resources of The Canadian Encyclopedia through thematic galleries of Canadian Art, History, Nature, People, and Science and Technology.
Illustrations, lively text, animations, sounds and games help make learning about Canadian history, art, geography, architecture and other topics entertaining as well as informative.
The ultimate test of your knowledge of Canada, trivial and otherwise. You can choose from more than 60 dynamic quizzes with visual or text clues. Your scores depend on the speed with which you answer and the number of clues you need. Results are sent to you by email and high scores are posted on the site.
This unique resource includes more than 6000 events from Canadian and world history. It can be searched by era, subject, keyword or date. To find out what happened on your birthday, select the month and day of your birth.
This selection of the 100 "greatest" events in Canadian history was made by editor in chief James H. Marsh to draw attention to events that have left an indelible memory in the minds of later generations.
| THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MUSIC IN CANADA |
|
| 'My Ain Folk'. Song subtitled 'A ballad of home,' words by Wilfrid Mills and music by Laura Lemon, written in England and published (1904) by Boosey & Co, New York. The lyrics are in English with mild concessions to Scottish ... |
|
|
